Tomb - effigial

The National Monuments Service's description

From Hunt (1974, vol. 1, 238, No. 263) Against the east wall of the north transept is the lower half of an effigy of freestone (Wth 0.45m H 0.87m) carved in very high relief with the lower part of a figure in a gown falling in may folds over the feet. This was originally a very beautiful and well-carved figure, and is one of the most important remaining in the south-east of Ireland. The border to the slab suggests that it was from a tomb. The date must be mid-thirteenth century, and it is possibly imported sculpture, as the material in which it is carved is Dundry stone. It is much more likely that this figure represents the Cenotaph of Isabel of Leinster than does the head-slab (WX029-013049-), which is a type preferred by the middle classes. (Mahony, A. 1987, 5 , a)

Compiled by: Michael Moore

Date of upload: 2 August, 2012

References

Hunt, J. 1974 Irish medieval figure sculpture 1200-1600, 2 vols. Dublin. Irish University Press.

O'Mahony, A. 1987 St Mary's, New Ross: church and monuments. Wexford. New Ross Historical Society.